THE NOBLE NOBODY

The truth

Amberlynn stood still, her eyes intently scanning the crowd, eagerly awaiting a glimpse of her beloved Kenneth. However, as the minutes ticked by without a sign of him, her hope diminished, and a sense of uncertainty clouded her mind. They had scheduled a rendezvous for noon at the market to proceed to Kenneth's farm for an afternoon of deeper connection. As a result of the police chase yesterday and the ensuing aftermath, she was uncertain as to whether he would make an appearance. Nonetheless, she recognized that their get-together would either occur today or probably never at all.
She started asking others whether they saw him or not but she received no replies concerning his whereabouts.
The thought of Kenneth leaving town or being injured consumed her mind, and she was filled with concern and questions as she asked herself, "Did he flee from town? Did something unfortunate occur? Would I ever see him again?" She was plagued with fear over his well-being and the uncertainty of his faith.

The wait became overwhelming and her hope diminished, prompting Amberlynn to give in and leave the market with a broken heart.
She proceeded towards the exit with a feeling of despair, constantly glancing around with a faint glimmer of hope that he was still around and would suddenly appear running after her.
She didn't want to give up on the idea that he was still in the vicinity and merely concealed, hiding from the lawmen.
But, despite her efforts, there was no sign of his presence or any indication that he would emerge and appear behind her.

Amberlynn proceeded to make her way to her home, her heart broken and mind filled with grief and sorrow at the absence of Kenneth. She arrived at the manor and entered inside to seek solace in her main source of comfort, none other than Winston. His kisses and licks provided some relief to her wounded heart, yet, they were insufficient to bring her ease and contentment in this moment of despair.

The lady of the manor noticed the presence of a letter which had been left by the entrance once again, which proved to be a disturbing discovery as it continually caught her sight.
She sighed as she grasped it and opted to open it rather than ignore its presence.
Upon reading it, the contents of the letter proved to be even more frustrating, detailing her father's anticipation and excitement about her impending match. He conveyed his eagerness to meet the man she had selected and expressed his eagerness to see her transition into a mature lady.

Dearest Amberlynn,

It is with immense pleasure that I write to you today, conveying my heartfelt anticipation and excitement about your potential suitor.
I shall soon be visiting you, as I am eager to meet the man who has captured the heart of my cherished daughter.

As your father, I am delighted to see you embark on this exciting journey of maturing and embracing the virtues of womanhood.
I find myself rejoicing in the transition and delighted at the thought of your blossoming into a sophisticated lady.

All the best,

Your loving father

Shaken by the difference in her
in her father's attitude, tone, and handwriting, with the abrupt alterations in his choice of words also grabbing her attention, Amberlynn was befuddled over how his excitement over her newfound relationship made him sound like an utterly distinct individual! If it weren't for their family seal and his name on it, she would have been inclined to believe that the correspondence originated from a separate person.

Amberlynn felt a surge of additional stress and pressure upon her father's unusual excitement towards meeting her mysterious absent lover.
The thought of being asked about the whereabouts and identity of her partner weighed heavily on her, especially in the absence of any information and knowledge regarding Kenneth's location.
Adding to her heart-wrenching dilemma about disappointing her father, his impending visit now left her in a state of unease and uncertainty, wondering how exactly to broach the subject when faced with his highly anticipated arrival.

While she had wished to avoid the inevitable confrontation as much as possible, she had been forced to acknowledge the realities of the situation. The unavoidable need for a substitute to portray her romantic interest, had effectively rendered her without any other alternative option but to come clean about everything.

Determined to lay everything out, she took a pen and paper, writing down all that had happened; From her troubles with the irritating nobleman, Theodore, to the disappearance of the charming and brave strawberry boy Kenneth following the police chase.
She expressed her true feelings towards the arranged marriage proposed by father, and how she lied about having a suitor in order to save herself from how suffocating it felt to be a daughter of nobleman, let alone be the wife of one.
She let out her anger and frustration through the words that flowed from her pen. It was liberating, knowing that she was finally saying everything that she had kept inside. from her feelings about her distant father to how little he considered her wants and needs. She poured her heart out in a passionate letter, tears streaming down her face as she expressed all her pent-up emotions.
It was time for her to be heard, even if it meant, letting him down.

Holding back her tears, she wrote the passionate letter, putting all her emotion into each word. With its completion, she felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The letter was her declaration of independence, her refusal to be a mere pawn in someone else's game. It was her declaration of war against the system that had held her captive for so long.

With her heart feeling lighter after having expressed her feelings via the letter, she finally had the desire to eat something and restore her energy after noticing that Winston required some sustenance as well, so she decided to take the initiative and provide herself and her dog with some food.

She was limited to her food choices since there were just the few strawberries left from those she once bought from Kenneth, her strawberry boy.
The sight of the fruits made her gaze pause, as if those strawberries were his remaining existence and proof. She didn't want to eat them as she hoped to preserve them for eternity within their fruit basket, yet, their inevitable destiny was to rot and turn into a bad state if left for a prolonged period.
She fed Winston his portion of food and took the strawberries, placing them into her mouth. She began to devour on the berries, ensuring that she savored each and every mouthful as she relived the moment when she first bought them.

The knock on the door shattered the stillness of the moment, momentarily extracting her from the deep well of her thoughts.
With a sudden realization, the possibility of Kenneth being on the other side of the door filled her with a combination of excitement and trepidation; there was also the chance that it was Theodore, the rude nobleman she detested.
As she approached the door, her nerves began to fray, her body tensing with each stride. Her heart raced as she neared, the anticipation and uncertainty becoming overwhelming.
Her hand finally grasped the doorknob, and she slowly turned it, the creak of the hinges echoing through the silence. She opened the door in nervousness, as she awaited to see whom it was.